Little Leaguers
by nocturnaltibet
Summary: Ian and Mickey meet during little league and experience first crushes for the first time. Full of fluffy bunnies. Lots of fluffy bunnies.
1. Chapter 1: First Base

**Little Leaguers **

**Chapter One: First Base**

Ian Gallagher wasn't sure why the boy on first base never washed his face. He was always dirty. He showed up to practice dirty and he left dirty, every day. Ian never knew why. The boy didn't stink, not really. But his face always had more dirt than the usual twelve year old boy.

He never really had anyone to watch him play. Ian had a practically a whole team to watch him play, his fifteen-year-old sister Fiona and twelve year old brother Lip, Debbie playing with the dogs that randomly roamed outside the diamond, while Fiona occupied five-year-old Carl. But the first base boy never had anyone to cheer him on.

"Milkovich, stop picking your nose and pay attention," yelled the commissioner. He hated the kid on first base. Everyone knew it. Ian often heard grown ups talk about how the Milkovich kid would end up in Juvie, whatever that meant. Ian had heard the word a lot, but never knew what it meant.

"Fuck you," yelled the Milkovich kid on first base. Ian laughed so hard he snorted. The first base boy gave him the gesture. The one gesture that got Ian spanked by his mother. He was sure if the first base boy's parents saw him they'd definitely spank him.

"Milkovich, get off the diamond," the commissioner yelled. He called a break for lunch. Ian had a _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle _lunch box that Fiona had packed with a delicious peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich, goldfish crackers, a Caprisun, and some Oreos. Ian noticed that the first base boy had nothing to eat. He sat in the dugout by himself kicking dirt around while the other boys paired off to eat their lunches.

"Want to share my lunch?" Ian asked holding out his TMNT lunchbox to Mickey Milkovich. The boy had shockingly blue eyes, bluer than any Ian had ever seen. Mickey had written "FUCK" in the dirt with his cleats.

"Fuck off," Mickey said a tiny voice that sounded like it was hiding tears. Ian scooted closer to him on the bench.

"Its fluffernutter," Ian said his freckled face full of smiles as he held out his sandwich to Mickey.

"Gimme," said Mickey snatching the sandwich from Ian. He noticed Ian was still smiling even though his sandwich was stolen. That was peculiar.

"I'm Ian Gallagher, I play second base."

"Mickey Milkovich, I play first, but you know that because I throw to you sometimes," says Mickey. "I hate our coach. He's stupid."

"Yeah. He has stupid hair," said Ian to make Mickey laugh.

"He has a stupid butt," said Mickey. Ian laughed so hair he hiccupped with made him laugh some more. Mickey laughed too. "You're weird."

"Do you want to come over and play?" Ian asked his new friend.

"Do you have any guns?"

"No. Fiona says guns are bad. When mommy and daddy aren't around we have to mind Fiona."

"Too bad for you. I do what I want when I want," said Mickey.

"Where are your parents?"

"What the fuck you talking about?"

"I never see anyone come to the games to cheer for you."

"My mom is dead and Dad doesn't give a shit."

"My dad drinks and mom is something. I forget what Fiona said it's called, but she has these mood swings. It's complicated. But we can still be friends right?" Ian asked.

"No. Why would I want to be friends with you?" Mickey asked, shoving Ian and taking the rest of his lunch and running away with it. Ian couldn't help but smile.

He waited for Fiona outside the field at the end of practice. He saw Mickey walking by himself. Ian frowned. "Hey, Ian, what are you looking at?"

"Nothing," Ian said, even if he wanted to follow Mickey he probably shouldn't, Fiona might get mad or worried.

"Where's your lunch box?"

"It was stolen," said Ian with a smile.

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Because my new friend stole it."

"Ian, he's not your friend if he stole your lunch box," said Fiona walking side by side with Ian. She was chasing after Carl. He was throwing rocks at birds and laughing. When Fiona tried to take his rocks he would cry and hit her so she let it go.

"Could you cheer for the first base boy when you come to my next game?" Ian asked Fiona as they rounded the corner under the L towards home.

"Why?"

"Because no one ever comes to watch him, it makes him sad, but he won't admit it."

"Okay, I will then."

Ian walked in silence with his brother and sister. His thoughts were the only place an eleven year old boy's thoughts are, on sports. But it wasn't the game he was thinking about it was his new found friend, and the first base boy's bright blue eyes.

Ian felt something in his stomach. It was a weird sensation that made him happy. Whatever it was felt good and it went away when got home and saw Frank passed out on the kitchen floor and Monica with a needle in her arm at the kitchen table. Fiona rushed Ian upstairs. That was the routine. When Frank and Monica were home the kids usually stayed upstairs.

Lip was lying on his stomach doing his homework when Ian and Carl entered. Carl immediately got out his toys, which were actually Lip's old toys, and he got into some of Ian's army men. Ian loved army toys. It was his dream to be an officer in the military and be a hero to his country.

"What's wrong with mom?" Ian asked Lip.

Lip looked up from his homework, "Drugs," was all he said and returned to his business.

"But drugs are bad," Ian said.

"Ding ding, we have a winner. Tell him what he has won. They're drug addicts, Ian."

"No they're not. They just do it sometimes, not all the time. You're a liar."

"When have I ever lied to you?"

Ian stretched his brain but he couldn't think of a single time Lip had ever lied or been wrong about something that his brother did or said. Lip had always looked out for Ian. Ian considered Lip his best friend. That was why he had to tell him about his new friend.

"I made a new friend," Ian said.

"That's great, Ian, I'm trying to study."

"His name is Mickey Milkovich," Ian said. That got Lip's attention.

"He's in my grade," Lip said, "He usually sleeps in class." But Ian laughed at that. That sounded like Mickey. "You shouldn't be friends with him."

"But he doesn't have any one else," Ian said finally taking off his cleats. He threw them across the room and they landed perfectly upright side by side. "He stole my lunch today."

"If he stole your lunch then he's obviously not your friend."

"Fiona said that too, but you don't know him like I do."

"Whatever, I'm doing my homework. Shut up."

Ian laid back in his bed and thought of the blue-eyed boy on first base. The weird stomach feeling was back.


	2. Chapter 2: Second Base

**Chapter Two: Second Base**

Ian Gallagher couldn't wait to get to Little League. It was what he looked forward to every day. He would bounce on the balls of his feet while Fiona packed his lunch. He had somehow managed to convince her to make him two fluffernutter sandwiches so he could share with his new friend.

Ian had been up all night making a banner for Mickey, the boy on first base. He had to start over because he misspelled Milkovich twice. But he finally finished the banner he wants Fiona to hold at the game today.

"He has really bright blue eyes," Ian said. That was the third time he's mentioned it, but somehow he always forgot he's already mentioned it so to be sure he mentioned it again. He mentioned is a fourth time when Fiona tried to tame his red curls with a hair straightener.

"Jesus, Ian, you talk about this kid a lot," Fiona says.

"Are Mom and Dad coming?" Ian asked.

"They aren't here. I went to wake them up but they weren't there. I'll be there though, and I will cheer loudly for you."

"And Mickey, you promised," Ian said.

"You're still on that Mickey asshole?" Lip asked coming into the living room.

"He's my friend. Could I invite him over for a sleep over?" Ian asked.

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Fiona said before giving Ian lots of hugs and kisses. He was eleven, but he still liked it when Fiona would adore him and love on him.

Ian was the first kid to arrive for the game. He was in his green uniform already. His team sponsor was a local bar called the Alibi where an older man named Stan had given a lot of money for the team's equipment. But the one who always showed up was a young man who ran the bar at the Alibi named Kev. He lived next door to the Gallagher's.

"Kev," said Ian, happily, running to hug his neighbor.

"Hey, Ian, ready for the game?"

But before Ian could answer he spotted Mickey Milkovich being dragged to the field by his elbow by a really large man. The man threw Mickey on the ground. His uniform was stained and dirty already. Ian looked at Kev waiting for him to help Mickey, when he didn't get involved Ian did.

"Stop it," Ian yelled at the large man about to hit Mickey. The man smacked Ian out of the way. That's when Kev got in the way. He grabbed the man's arm and held him back.

"That's enough, Terry. Leave or I'll call the police," said Kev.

"Fuck off, Ball. This is between me and my ungrateful little brat of a son. If I ever catch you with those again I'll fucking kill you," Terry told Mickey. He spit on his son and then kicked dirt on him.

"You're an asshole," Ian yelled at Terry Milkovich.

"Ian? What's going on?" Fiona asked. She was out of breath.

"It's okay, Fiona," said Kev, "I handled it."

"If my little brother is in danger I deserve to know."

"I'm alright," Ian told her.

Kev and Fiona walked away to talk to each other. Ian helped Mickey up. Mickey shoved Ian and walked toward the dug out. They were early, and the only boys in the dug out. Mickey sat at the end away from Ian and started to write "FUCK" on the wall with a Sharpie.

"What did you have that your dad was mad about?" Ian asked.

"Fuck off," said Mickey.

"You can tell me."

"It was a magazine, okay."

Ian understood that the magazine must have been a dirty magazine like the kind Lip had under his mattress. Ian found one once and nearly threw up. He didn't see what the big deal was at all. They were naked women; Ian had seen his mother and sister naked. He just didn't get it.

"Lip has some of those. Frank gave them to him. I don't understand why your dad would get mad," Ian said with a smile.

"It's not what you think. Just forget it, okay. Leave me alone."

"Want to come to my house after the game? Fiona said it's okay. You can spend the night and we can stay up late and eat junk food."

"You never quit," Mickey said, almost smiling at the redheaded Gallagher boy.

"I brought you a fluffernutter," said Ian holding out his paper bag for Mickey.

"Don't be so nice all the time, Gallagher."

But Mickey ate the sandwich like he hadn't been fed in a week, which Ian was sure he hadn't. He put his hand on Mickey's back only to have it shoved off by Mickey. Then he move his hand to Mickey's knee. Mickey would slap at his hand.

Finally, Ian put his arm around Mickey's shoulder. Mickey gave up trying to stop him. Ian met Mickey's eyes. It was as if something bursted into life in Ian's stomach and was running around trying to escape. He took his eyes away for a second only to realize he was holding his breath.

"So about sleeping over?" Ian asked.

"Okay," said Mickey.

"Great," said Ian. He was happier than he thought he should be about that. Mickey Milkovich was spending the night with him. He wasn't sure why that made him so happy, but it did. Ian couldn't focus on the game and missed every ball that came at him. And when he was up to bat he couldn't hit anything, but for some reason he didn't seem to care.

Ian waited for Mickey after the game so he could walk home with them. Fiona hugged Ian and showered him with kisses and praise for the game even though his team lost. "Mickey's spending the night."

"Did he get permission from his father?"

"He doesn't give a shit what I do," said Mickey.

"Okay. Well, I'm happy to have you for the night, Mickey."

It took some coercing but Fiona had convinced Mickey to take a bath even if it meant she had to sit in there with him and scrub him clean herself, he looked horrified when she mentioned that so she suggested he bathe with Ian. Mickey was even more horrified, but he lost the battle.

"Stay on your fucking side of the tub or I'll kill you," Mickey told Ian. They sat back to back so they didn't have to look at each other. Ian noticed how dirty the water had gotten when Mickey sat down in the bubbly water. "If you mention this to any one at school you're dead."

But Ian wasn't listening. He was looking at the bruises and scars on Mickey. It made no sense to him how someone could be so clumsy. But then he thought back to the events of the day. _What if his dad caused those bruises? _And Ian felt sick to his stomach.

After the bath Ian got out of the tub first and put a towel around his waist. He thought he saw Mickey look at him, but he wasn't sure. Ian dried off and left the bathroom and Mickey. He wanted to tell Lip about Mickey's bruises but couldn't find it in him to do so. He felt it might betray Mickey.

"I'm not fucking sleeping with you," Mickey said after he came into Ian's room wearing a tiny bathrobe that belonged to Lip. Fiona had picked out some of Lip's clothes for Mickey to wear. Mickey had never been treated this kindly before.

"No one said you had to," Ian said.

But when Mickey crawled into Ian's bed that night, Ian crawled in with him. Mickey laid against the wall as close as he could get. His hand accidentally brushed Ian's once and he pulled it away faster than he ever moved in his life. Mickey couldn't possibly know what that brief contact did to Ian.

Ian Gallagher was holding his breath, not that he could help it or anything. He held his own hand against his chest to feel the rampant beating of his heart. Mickey touched his hand by accident and Ian couldn't stop smiling.


	3. Chapter 3: Third Base

**Chapter Three: Third Base**

Mickey Milkovich couldn't understand why the second base boy was paying so much attention to him. But he was getting free sandwiches which he didn't mind. Mickey even stayed at the boy's house. It was nice. The Gallagher house was quiet unlike Mickey's house which was always noisy and full of people.

Mickey didn't want to go home. He made excuses to hang around the Gallagher house. He thought make nice with the second base boy and he would get invited back. Mickey loved Fiona's cooking, and loved the way the house always seemed to smell like cookies.

But he hated taking baths with Ian Gallagher. He was twelve, too old to bathe with another boy, mostly because boys _affected_ Mickey. It brought up a painful memory of his father beating him with a belt for having the magazine with all the men in it, but Mickey was just curious.

Mickey shut his brain off. He didn't want to think about it while in a bathtub with a boy. Not just any boy, but the boy who wouldn't leave him alone. Every day at baseball practice Mickey would turn around and the freckled faced red head would be right there like his shadow.

When Mickey would run off to be by himself during lunch breaks the red head would turn up with an extra fluffernutter sandwich for Mickey and they would have to chat. Well, the red head would chat and Mickey would listen.

Now he's sitting on the couch watching TV with the little red head. Fiona was washing his clothes and his baseball uniform. Mickey had to borrow Ian's clothes. Ian was a little smaller than him so the clothes were tight but Lip refused to loan Mickey anything that might actually fit him.

"So, I think you should just move in," said Ian during a commercial break of their movie.

"Hasn't he done that already?" Lip asked. He was participating in a tea party with Debbie because he promised her he would. Carl was already asleep on the couch.

"Fuck you," Mickey said.

"You swear a lot," Ian said scooting closer to Mickey. He was getting too attached and Mickey didn't like it. Pretty soon the Gallagher boy would begin to think they were friends and Mickey just couldn't allow that.

"Here, Mickey," said Fiona putting a plate of grilled cheese in front of him. She gave Lip, Debbie, and Ian plates too and let them return to their movie. "Are you sure you don't want to me ask Kev to drive you home?"

"No. Dad's in prison again. He stabbed someone. My uncle Roy is staying at the house with his new wife and three sons."

"That's comforting," said Fiona, "Hey, Lip, do you have any money. Frank and Monica haven't come back yet and there is bill due."

"I have maybe fifteen bucks," Lip said.

"I have a little money," said Ian.

"How much?" Lip asked.

"Twenty dollars," Ian said.

"That's not enough."

"How much do you need?" Mickey asked.

"Don't worry about it, Mickey."

Mickey had stolen money from all the boys on the baseball team except Ian, partly because Ian didn't have any and partly because he kept stealing all his sandwiches it would have made him feel guilty to steal money from him.

Mickey had saved up a little over a hundred dollars from stealing from the boys every week. He kept the money in his shoes. He handed a waded up lump of bills to Fiona without speaking or looking at her.

"No, this is your money," Fiona said.

"He probably stole it anyway," Lip said.

"Is that true, Mickey?" Fiona asked.

"Yeah," Mickey said. Fiona just shrugged and thanked him. Ian scooted closer to Mickey. He was so close his right hand was touching Mickey's. Mickey didn't know whether to move his hand or leave it. He decided to leave it, until he felt a hand cup his then he pulled his hand back like it was on fire.

And Ian scooted closer. Mickey scooted toward the arm of the couch, but Ian scooted closer. He smelled like peanut butter and Mickey couldn't stand it. He jumped up and sat in the armchair away from Ian.

Mickey would NOT peek at the second base again. He would not. That was what got him beaten up by his dad, well not exactly looking at the Gallagher boy that got him beat up, but having that magazine.

Once their show went off Fiona sent everyone to bed. Lip mumbled and complained about having to go to bed so early, but Fiona made him go anyway. Mickey slid into Ian's bed. The two boys were small enough to be able to lie in the bed without touching.

Sometime in the middle of the night Mickey woke up with a bundle of red curls on his chest. He sat up slightly, enough to not disturb the sleeping boy. Ian had wrapped himself around Mickey. Mickey couldn't see a way out of Ian's embrace. He scoffed and lie back on the pillow.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Mickey asked.

He wanted to roll over to sleep on his side, but he was stuck. Ian Gallagher was not letting go. He wondered if the Gallagher boy did this a lot, until he heard a sound that filled him with dread, Ian whimpering. He was having a nightmare. Ian subconsciously tightened his hold on Mickey making it difficult for him to breathe.

"Gallagher," Mickey whispered. He tried to shake the boy awake. Ian started whimpering and to Mickey's surprise he sat up and screamed. Lip woke up almost instantly and jumped off his bed.

"I had a bad dream," said Ian.

"I know," Mickey said.

"Ian," Lip said.

Fiona turned on the light. She was wearing tiny shorts and a bra. Mickey was not used to that, but was surprised it didn't faze him. Instead he turned his attention back to the second base boy.

"I had a dream that we were homeless and living in the back of a car and someone came by and stole me and tried to kill me," Ian said.

Fiona knelt beside Ian and hugged him. Mickey had never seen anything like it. Where he came from people weren't nice. People weren't Fiona or Ian. Most people in Mickey's life ignored him. He ignored them. It was how things were.

But the Gallaghers were very kind and very loving. It made no sense to Mickey. How could they be this way after everything? It was no secret in the neighborhood that the Gallagher kids had been in and out of foster homes their whole lives, while Mickey and his siblings had always managed to slide by without DCFS noticing them even though his family was more fucked up than the Gallagher's.

"Are you okay now?" Fiona asked Ian.

"I think so," said Ian.

"You scared the shit out of me. I thought Mickey was killing you," said Lip. Mickey gave Lip the finger which made Ian laugh.

"Alright, enough, time for bed," said Fiona. She turned off the light and shut the door so the boys could get back to sleep.

Mickey couldn't go to sleep right away. He stayed awake and stared at the posters on the ceiling. And once again the little red head wrapped his body around Mickey's. Mickey rolled his eyes and shrugged. He put his arm around Ian for a moment and felt the smaller boy wiggle his body to fit better under Mickey's arm.

"Good night, Mickey," said Ian softly.

"Shut the fuck up," Mickey said.


End file.
